Four Asumas

"Whether it was slander or not was not for you or me to decide. The evidence would decide." Uchiha Toko's expression turned cold as well. "Oh, you came at just the right time. According to your accomplice Shimura Retto's testimony, you were also involved in Shimura Danzō's theft of a fellow village ninja's bloodline limit. Military Police Force, apprehend the criminal suspect, Shimura Hiro!"

The moment Uchiha Toko finished speaking, several Uchiha Clan ninja rushed out from the Military Police Force behind him, intending to seize Shimura Hiro on the spot.

"Uchiha Toko!" Utatane Koharu was used to holding a high position. Seeing that Uchiha Toko showed her no respect whatsoever and even intended to arrest someone right in front of her, she immediately shouted sharply.

"I'm listening." Uchiha Toko raised his head and looked down at her from the steps of the Military Police Force.

"How dare you? Who gave you the authority to arrest people?" Utatane Koharu demanded.

"Excellent question!" Uchiha Toko roared as the long blade at his waist left its sheath. Two streaks of lightning-wreathed sword light grazed past the Two Advisors and struck beside Shimura Hiro's feet. The explosions produced by Lightning Release Chakra forced back the Shimura Clan ninja attempting to step forward from behind, while also blasting Shimura Hiro to the ground. The Uchiha Military Police Force members then swarmed forward and subdued him in the blink of an eye.

"You asked who gave me the authority to arrest people, so I'll tell you." Uchiha Toko slowly descended the steps and came to stand beside the Two Advisors. "That night, in the face of Shimura Danzō's crimes, the Third Hokage entrusted the Uchiha Clan with the full investigation of this matter. Is that reason enough?"

"When the Second Hokage established the Military Police Force and entrusted our Uchiha Clan with this important duty, it was to protect the village's safety and purge malignant gangs like Shimura Danzō's, who would harm fellow villagers for their own selfish desires! Is that reason enough?"

Uchiha Toko stepped before Utatane Koharu, clasped his hands toward Hokage Rock, then stared straight at her. "If Advisor Utatane still thinks that isn't enough, then what about the First Hokage's oath, made at the founding of the village, to protect every single companion in it? Is that reason enough?"

"Today, it is not I who cannot tolerate him. It is the eleven thousand ninja and eighty-five thousand civilians of the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire who cannot tolerate such a malignant growth!"

"Uchiha Toko, you!" Mitokado Homura wanted to say something, but with Uchiha Toko having invoked the First Hokage, what else could he possibly say?

The Military Police Force's notice recruiting Commoner Ninja had been posted for two days. Quite a few ninja had come to apply with the mindset of giving it a try, and the scene before them drew many Commoner Ninja to stop and watch.

"So the Uchiha Clan has justice in its heart too. Looks like the rumors in the village aren't entirely trustworthy." The Commoner Ninja gathered together and whispered among themselves.

"The Shimura Clan had this coming. They relied on their clan's influence and had always acted arrogantly in the village. Didn't expect them to finally run into a wall, did they?"

The Shimura Clan's reputation in the village was no better than the Uchiha Clan's. Now that they had met disaster, the civilians naturally took pleasure in their misfortune.

"On the other hand, Two Advisors, you came here with such fanfare. Were you trying to cover something up?" Uchiha Toko scrutinized the Two Advisors, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I hear the two of you are quite close to Danzo."

"Shut up, Uchiha Toko! Don't spout such nonsense!" Mitokado Homura snapped. "I will report today's events to the Hokage exactly as they happened."

"Please do!" Uchiha Toko snorted and turned away, walking into the Military Police Force without looking back.

"What are the Two Advisors still standing around here for? Don't tell me you expect us to escort you back?" Uchiha Fugaku spoke up at that moment.

"Hmph." Having gained nothing, the Two Advisors could only snort and flick their sleeves as they left under the strange stares of the surrounding Commoner Ninja.

After Shimura Hiro was dragged into the Interrogation Room, the original three Shimura Clan members all revealed looks of terror. They had thought their Clan Head had come with the Two Advisors to save them, but instead, he had gotten himself trapped as well.

"Take good care of our Shimura Clan Head." Uchiha Toko tossed Shimura Hiro into the Interrogation Room like a dead dog and gave his orders. "Be careful. Don't get any blood on him, or you might offend the spirits of our clan's elders during tonight's funeral."

"Yes!" The clan members in the Military Police Force responded in unison.

After arranging everything, Uchiha Toko left the Military Police Force. To escort the several Sharingan eyes desecrated by Shimura Danzō back to the Clan Shrine, the Uchiha Clan held a modest family funeral.

"Clan Head, aside from the Shimura, Mitokado, and Utatane Clans, every other clan has sent funeral offerings." After Uchiha Toko arrived at the Clan Shrine, Uchiha Inaho hurried over and reported to him.

"I understand. Go invite Elder Fugaku over." Uchiha Toko said.

"Understood." Uchiha Inaho nodded and departed upon receiving the order.

Uchiha Toko then headed to the area where the funeral offerings had been placed.

Uchiha Toko arrived at the area holding the Yamanaka Clan's funeral offerings. He did not immediately open them, waiting until Uchiha Fugaku had arrived before doing so.

The top layer of the funeral offerings contained only the most ordinary items. Once those were moved aside, what came into view was glittering gold and two village property deeds.

Uchiha Fugaku's eyes lit up as he looked at Uchiha Toko. "Is this the money you got?"

Uchiha Toko nodded. He stepped forward and carefully counted everything, his brow furrowing slightly. "This still isn't enough."

Frowning, Uchiha Toko then opened the funeral offerings from the Akimichi Clan and Nara Clan one by one. Their contents were identical to those from the Yamanaka Clan.

"They're warning us." Uchiha Toko sneered as he calculated the total value of everything inside. The offerings from the Three Clans were worth exactly 140 million ryō—four Asumas. This was the protection money the Yamanaka Clan had paid the Uchiha Clan over the matter of Danzo.

Yet the meaning behind the three clans sending their gifts together could not have been clearer: they were warning the Uchiha Clan to stop here. United as three clans, they did not fear the Uchiha Clan.

"Hmph, Ino-Shika-Cho?" Uchiha Fugaku sneered.

"It doesn't matter. The three clans weren't especially valuable to win over in the first place. Getting money from them was already a pleasant surprise." Uchiha Toko was not angered. Since the Warring States Era, the three Ino-Shika-Cho clans had been inseparable from the Sarutobi Clan. Every generation of Ino-Shika-Cho had formed the Earring Vow under the witness of the current Sarutobi Clan Head. Therefore, Uchiha Toko had never held any expectations of winning them over.